Fertilizer collecting apparatus



July 15, 1941.

H. M. DANKER FERTILIZER COLLECTING APPARATUS Original Filed July 20, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l July 15, 1941. H. M. DANKER 2,249,555

FERTILIZER COLLECTING APPARATUS Original Filed July 20, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 JFE 125 Patented July 15, 1941 UNITED STAT FERTILIZER COLLECTING APPARATUS Hugo IVLDanke new. 1.11, Original application July 20, 1930, Serial No.

285,608. Divided and this-applicatiqmMarch '28, 1940, Serial No. 326,511 r 1 la m- -21 791).

My invention rel-ates to apparatus for I compounding and preparing fertilizer, and more particularly to a fertilizer collecting'unit forming a part of'sucn apparatus, the present application being a division of one filed by me on July 20, 1939, under Serial No. 285,608.

One object of the invention is to provide a collecting unit which is immediately adjacent to the discharging zone of the prepared fertilizer, in order to be compactly grouped therewith.

A further object of the invention is to include a transfer device for the fertilizer delivery which leads into the collecting unit, but is automatically caused to clear the same when the unit is moved to a discharging position. 7

Another object of the invention is to design a collecting unit with means to transfer its contents to bags or other containers in which the fertilizer is to be delivered or sold.

With the above objects in view and any others which may suggest themselves from the description to follow, a better understanding of the invention may be had by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is an elevation of the discharging portion of the fertilizer preparing apparatus, showing the collecting unit;

Fig. 2 is a partial top plan view of Fig. 1, on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 3 is a side view of Fig. 1, from the right; and

Fig. 4 is a magnified fragment of Fig. 3, as viewed from the line 44.

In accordance with the foregoing, specific reference to the drawings shows the framework of the apparatus tobe of skeleton form, and largely composed of angle bars. Thus, a frontal rail is indicated at 20, a rear rail at 22, frontal uprights at 24, rear uprights at 25, upper spacers at 26, and lower spacers at 21. Braces are used wherever necessary, such as indicated at 28.

The framework primarily supports a horizontal conveyor belt 30 trained over terminal rollers 3| whose shafts 32 are carried in suitable frame bearings 33. One of the shafts 32 receives a gear 34 with which a pinion 35 carried by a frame bracket 36 is in mesh. The pinion shaft 31 carries a crank handle 38 and provides a reduction drive for the same to operate the belt.

The conveyor belt 30 is intended to receive on its upper run a layer comprising a mixture of ingredients calculated to produce a fertilizer of highly desirable qualities; and the operation of the crank handle 38 in the counter-clockwise direction-as seen in Fig. 1-is intended to discharge the said layer into a lar receptacle I04 'from which the accumulated contents are transferredto-bags or other containers for use or sale.

The receptacle I04 is somewhat beyond the end of thecon veyonand an apron I05 is therefore provided for the transfer of the material from the conveyor into the receptacle without loss. The receptacle is spaced from the conveyor as mentioned in order that it may have clearance to be'swung from the full line position of Fig. 3 to the dotted line position to discharge its contents. In such event, the apron must rise outof the way, and a mechanism to operate the apron automatically from the action of the receptacle will presently be described.

As noted in Figs. 1 and 3, the receptacle is formed with bearings I06 at the front to journal it on :a rod I01 supported in frontal uprights I08. Thus, the receptacle employs the rod I01 as a pivot; and a suitable cable tackle mechanism I09 is applied to the rear of the receptacle in order that it may be lifted as mentioned.

The purpose of swinging the receptacle I04 as just described is to discharge its contents forwardly into a sack I I0 or other suitable container in which the material will be kept or sold. Accordingly, the sack is suspended from the top sections III of a pair of V-shaped brackets H2. The top sections of these have rear hooks II3 engaging the pivot rod I01; and the lower ends of the brackets H2 are offset to bear against a bottom frame mail I I4. The brackets are not secured to the parts they engage so that they may be slid therealong to separate or gather them to fit sacks of different widths. It is preferable to place a collar-like guide II5 over the mouth of the sack in order to prevent lateral dissipation of the material poured from the hopper into the sack.

The mechanism for the apron I05 will now be described. As noted in Figs. 2 and 4, the apron is enlarged with a hub II8 which is journaled in the frame member 22 and extends rearwardly with a spindle H9. The latter carries a collar I20 from which are extended upper and lower wire rods I2I and I22, the rod I2I terminating with an upwardly flared portion I23, and the rod I22 terminating with a downwardly deflected portion I24. The wire rods I2I and I22 are adapted to receive between them a side pin I25 projecting from the upper portion of a link I26 whose lower portion is secured by a pin I21 to the rear of the receptacle I04. The spindle II9 also carries a pulley I28 over whose periphery is secured at I29 the upper end of a coil spring I30, the lower end of the latter being secured to a frame extension I3Ila, The pin I2'I normally is positioned alongside a vertical angle bar I3I whose upper end portion curves away from the pin as indicated at I32.

It has been mentioned that the receptacle I04 is pivoted at its frontal edge. Therefore, when it descends from the elevated position, the pin I2! is guided "by the angle bar I3! to lend the side of the receptacle a true vertical course of descent as well as to keep the same at the proper distance from the apron I05. When the receptacle is down, as indicated in Fig. 4, the pin I25 of the link I26 maintains the apron in the deflected position relative to the receptacle, so that any material falling from the top run of the conveyor belt 30 will slide down along the apron into the receptacle. The apron is held down against the tension of the coil spring I30. However, when the receptacle is raised, the pin I25 bears on the wire rod I2I to raise the apron to the upper dotted line'position, so that the receptacle will clear the apron on its ascent. The spring. I30 now maintains the apron in the elevated position. However, when the receptacle is again lowered, the pin I25 meets the deflected end portion I24 of the wire rod I22 and bears upon the latter to swing the assembly of the wire rods and apron outwardly, so as to ultimately restore the apron to the deflected position overlying the entrance to the receptacle. Thus, the apron both forms a bridge for the passage of the material from the conveyor into the receptacle, and is automatically raised out of the way when the receptacle rises to discharge its contents.

Where the installation provides a bottom pit or recess under the receptacle for the discharge of its contents, the raising operation of the receptacle is not utilized. Thus, a slide in the bottom of the receptacle may be shifted to create a direct discharge opening into the recess below the receptacle.

It will be evident from the above description that I have provided a collecting unit which is intimately associated with the fertilizer conveyor, yet causes the connection to move out of the way when the receptacle is moved for the discharge of its contents. The mechanism involved is automatic in its operation, requires no adjustment or attention, and will operate efficiently over a long period of time.

I claim:

A material delivery from the end of a conveyor into a receptacle adjacent such end comprising a shaft below the conveyor, an apron extending inclinedly from the conveyor to a position over the interior of the receptacle, the apron having a hub fast on said shaft, a drum mounted on the shaft beyond one end of the apron, a spring attached over the periphery of the drum and having a tendency to rotate the same in a direction to raise the apron from its inclined position, said receptacle being movable between a raised and a lowered position, said receptacle including an extension, a second extension fixedly associated with said apron, said extension of said' receptacle beingengageable with said extension of said apron to move said apron to the inclined position as said receptacle is moved to the lowered position.

HUGO M. DANKER. 

